Bayer releases Second White Paper to Highlight Market Opportunities for more Diversity in Cucumbers

Today’s consumer food market is more flexible than ever before. Decision making on how, when, why and which kind of food to buy has changed – driven by convenience, individualization, local 4 local, healthiness and digitalization amongst others. Those changing consumer habits might become a challenge for the industry, but offer a lot of opportunities at the same time. In this second edition in her series of white papers, vegetable seed specialist Nunhems will step into market drivers and show how to translate them into business opportunities for cucumbers.

Insights in Market Trends and Opportunities for short cucumbers
Driven by convenience, taste and healthfulness, the global snacking market is expected to expand from US$ 374 billion in 2014 to US$ 635 billion in 2020. Chocolate still is the favorite snack, closely followed by fresh fruit and vegetables, whose market share is significantly increasing. Cucumbers follow this trend, even though the market share of short cucumbers in Europe and NAFTA is still limited to 5 to 10 percent of the total cucumber market.

Where do short cucumbers come from?

How are they rooted in various cultures?

And what are the key drivers behind the growth of short cucumber consumption in Europe and Norther America?

This white paper shows how recent consumer trends can be translated to new business opportunities for short cucumbers and ways of marketing and commercializing them.

A Cultivation Perspective
In high tech circumstances, the majority of short cucumbers are grown in high-wire systems. This white paper also provides a brief explanation of the agronomical and technical aspects of the production of short cucumbers in this state-of-the-art- system and gives insights from a breeding perspective.

Growers grow the mini cucumbers in the same two ways they grow long cucumbers, with a high-wire (left) and with an umbrella system (right).

Market Leader in High-Wire Cultivation
Since high-wire cucumber cultivation has received a serious boost in the Netherlands in 2009, Bayer actively develops specialized high-wire genetics and cultivation technologies. The Nunhems HiRevolution varieties are one of the driving factors. With its series of white papers ‘The Only Way is Up’ Bayer is sharing its extensive knowledge and field insights as a market leader in the Netherlands and ambassador of high-wire cultivation areas across the globe.

Series of High-wire Cucumber White Papers
The first edition of Bayer white papers in the ‘The Only Way is Up’ series was published in February 2017, covering the state of the art growing system for high-wire, the basics of high-wire and how to steer and optimize crops. The third edition in the series is under construction. It will focus on artificial lighting in high-wire cucumber cultivation. There will also be special editions covering subjects that are relevant to other interested parties in the chain, such as traders and retailers.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2017, the Group employed around 99,800 people and had sales of EUR 35 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.4 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.5 billion. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.